The Fourth Wall Gallery is pleased to present 'Beacons, Signs, and Signals,’ a solo exhibition of paintings by Stephanie Dennis. It is her first solo gallery show in the Bay Area. 

This series of paintings reflects Dennis's ongoing interest in themes of connection, stability, and location, shaped by a childhood of frequent moves across the US. 

Combining elements of drawing and painting, Dennis crafts abstractions that function as emotional cartographies, mapping internal states. Through pared-down forms and expressive gestures, she investigates the invisible systems that anchor us: intuition, memory, and an innate sense of place.

“I'm fascinated by how we find home within ourselves, especially when external surroundings are constantly shifting,” says Dennis. “I believe we all have an internal navigation system—a set of quiet guides that offer reassurance and direction. These paintings are my attempt to give form to these invisible, yet deeply felt, signals.”

Rendered in layers of graphite, colored pencils, oil sticks, and oil on canvas, Dennis’s work conveys both control and vulnerability. Gridded structures and simple geometric shapes allude to remembered places or imagined landmarks. Each painting becomes a beacon—a visual signal pointing the way to a centered, intuitive self.